Fest molestation: Gargi students continue protest; 1 more arrested

NEW DELHI: Students of Delhi University's all-women Gargi College have said they will continue their protest until all their demands are not met. As the protest entered its sixth day on Saturday, the students said that the college principal has still not shown them the budget of the previous or this year's event.

The students also demanded other women colleges to demand higher scrutiny from their administration.

“The students wish to reiterate that they would want the women of other colleges, especially girls colleges to demand higher scrutiny from their administration to ensure that they visit are safer and more inclusive,” said the statement from the college.

Meanwhile, the fact-finding committee at Gargi College has found that several women students faced various degrees of harassment on February 6 during the college's annual fest.

While the committee is yet to submit its report and is scheduled to conduct more meetings next week, several members of the committee said they have recorded testimonies of students highlighting the harassment.

“From flashing to groping to even instances of money being thrown at students, the students faced varying degrees of harassment. It was terrible to even sit through these testimonies and hear their ordeal,” said a third-year undergraduate student, who is a member of the committee, which comprises teachers and students.

However, the students have said that their fight is not against the administration but the patriarchy, which “manifests itself in the very institutions that they study” and added their fight is bigger.

“It's a bigger and a larger fight to break hegemonies and hierarchies within the spaces we occupy and we wish, hope and pray that you are able to educate, agitate and organize those within your institution,” said the students of Gargi.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Sunday said that they have arrested one more person in Gargi college incident. According to police, so far they have arrested 15 people in the case.

The accused allegedly jumped over the barricades placed by the college security staff, outnumbered them and then misbehaved with the women students, police added.

The students alleged that the men, in their 30s and drunk, groped and dragged girls and performed obscene acts, while security and Delhi Police personnel stood by like mute spectators.

According to police, so far they have arrested 15 people in the case